Cirque du Soleil’s Amaluna is coming to Phoenix

Cirque du Soleil announced its return to Phoenix with a new Big Top show, AMALUNA. The critically acclaimed production will be opening in Phoenix on March 15, 2019 for an engagement of 38 performances under the iconic Yellow-and-Blue Grand Chapiteau at State Farm Stadium. Written and directed by Tony Award-winning director, Diane Paulus, Cirque du Soleil’s 33rd production AMALUNA is a celebration of love and a tribute to the work and voice of women.

AMALUNA invites the audience to a mysterious island governed by Goddesses and guided by the cycles of the moon. Their queen, Prospera, directs her daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony in a rite that honors femininity, renewal, rebirth and balance which marks the passing of these insights and values from one generation to the next. In the wake of a storm caused by Prospera, a group of young men lands on the island, triggering an epic, emotional story of love between Prospera’s daughter and a brave young suitor. But theirs is a love that will be put to the test. The couple must face numerous demanding trials and overcome daunting setbacks before they can achieve mutual trust, faith and harmony.

AMALUNA is a fusion of the words ama, which refers to “mother” in many languages, and luna, which means “moon”; a symbol of femininity that evokes both the mother-daughter relationship and the idea of goddess and protector of the planet. AMALUNA is also the name of the mysterious island where this magical story unfolds.

For the first time in Cirque du Soleil’s history, AMALUNA features a cast that comprises mostly women, with a 100% female band. “Amaluna is a tribute to the work and voice of women,” explains Director of Creation Fernand Rainville. “The show is a reflection on balance from a women’s perspective,” he adds. Director Diane Paulus, winner of a 2013 Tony Award (Pippin) and named as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2014, says: “I didn’t want to build a ‘women’s agenda’ show. I wanted to create a show with women at the center of it, something that had a hidden story that featured women as the heroines.” Paulus drew from a series of classical influences when creating the concept of the show; including tales from Greek and Norse mythology, Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Shakespeare’s The Tempest.